We didn't "add" the third floor. It was from the outset an integral feature of the 20,000 capacity stadium that, for better or worse, was decided upon. The debt doesn't help (particularly because it makes choosing a sustainable non-league future pathway all the more unrealistic) but it's the operating deficits that are the thing that's changed. Whether because the cost of a football team has increased since the original projections and/or because we have a heavier overhead than foreseen.

Pete, the ground floor is the new third floor. I’m guessing that most people who post on here have been up on the third floor? Part of it is now a fantastic workspace, with amazing views, great light, and it must be a joy work there every day, completely different from the office space that we previously had on the ground floor. I’m assuming that logistically renting out office space on the ground floor works better (security and access) but not sure how how many companies want office space that has views of a sub station and has a history of flooding?

KT2 🎯

Thanks OI.

And by the by, when I bought those original shares my understanding was the money raised was to buy KM, not build an unsustainable theatre of dreams back in PL. Somewhere in those middle years ambition changed and seemed to cloud reality. The addition of that 3rd floor (always a useless addition) was a mistake, which has haunted the clubs future since it's inception. Without that, our debt would almost certainly be manageable.

pete - I don't know if you get Pension Credit or not (if you didn't get Winter Fuel Allowance this last winter then you probably don't). If you don't then the savings limit has no relevance, you can be a billionaire and get the full state pension. The savings limit doesn't appear to have changed recently so is 10K and above that it only reduces Pension Credit slowly so all in all I think you can relax. It looks at least partilly like fake news and if it wasn't it almost certainly doesn't affect (for RK ;) you anyway.

OI - It's getting confusing. All I want is to be left alone, to grow old at my chosen pace and hopefully leave enough behind to allow my much younger wife to live comfortably. Trouble is they're fucking around with the goalposts. Whoever suggested stuffing your savings in the mattress might well have a point. 2029 is looking far in the future right now. Maybe too far.

Respect to you Porthcawl for the measured response and long track record. FTR I was also strongly pro fan ownership until relatively recently, now ambivalent at best.

My take on things is this... If we think it takes £Xm of subsidy to survive/prosper at our level, and that's what owners of other clubs are stumping up, then that's what we as owners of AFC Wimbledon should be asked to collectively stump up. (An ask backed by the information / collective action appeal I referred to earlier.) If we don't stump up that money, then fine - we as owners should either decide to cut our cloth differently and accept a lower trajectory (although I personally doubt there's a viable non-league model for us in our current situation) or, without any rancour on anyone's part, and following consultation, accept that there might be other owners under whom the club would flourish better. In other words, let's give it a proper go to make the fan-owned model continue to work. Hooray if it does work. But, if we're not prepared to back our aspirations by actually putting our hands in our pockets, then let's move on to a different model. We should plan ahead for what doing that would involve too. I guess that makes me a combination of OI's (3) and (4).

PD, you sound like the rest of the Discord clique. Take a look on X, Facebook groups and on here. If you can’t see it then it’s because you don’t want to, not because it doesn’t exist. Poll on X (yes I know it’s not reliable) that asked the question of ownership had over 200 votes. 60% were for selling down to 50+1 or selling out completely.

Wonder when our marquee signings are happening?

Aideen - It’s rather like the end of the USSR. Deep down, nobody really believes in it anymore. But we’re too invested in it to save face, so we’ll continue the self-deception until it’s too late.

Pete - There is a cutoff at which Pension Credit but not the basic pension gets reduced but it appears to be 10K not 3K

Looks like a England Germany final sat night on ch4

The DTb don’t sense a disconnect? Oh we are in bigger trouble than I feared. No end of year presentations infront of fans, ignoring a 500+ petition re MOTM, no victory parade, and not bothering to open the club so that fans can celebrate at our own ground, a farcical fans sgm where once again fans were ignored, no movement on the rewriting of the constitution that we were told would be prioritised (therefore pointless for fans to submit motions) …So many missed opportunities to connect and to make us feel more like owners than customers. But sure, pass around the begging bowl and roll out the fans owned spiel again while treating us like pesky nuisances. Yes we need to stump up but ffs would like a little respect shown to us occasionally.

Hoping this IS one of those fake news clips [Link]

Absolutely, Nick. Only a mug would donate. You wouldn’t even get any rosary beads.

If anyone wants to throw their money into the club’s endless pit of financial losses then good luck to them, I certainly won’t be joining them. Fun ing the club through fan donations was all very well in non league but clearly won’t cover our losses as a league club. I am definitely someone who has moved from OI’s “group 1” to “group 3 or4”

NAZ, 12.02, I couldn't agree more

Can't even play golf, Pete

I suspect JG is talking about larger sums than your very valuable donations Laurence and I'm also conditional, show me a believable plan and I'll put money in. I don't think JG's ideas would work but I do see that they need major buy in from a significant number of people.

Good luck with that. Not turning out for the first eleven right now then?

ok, just waiting for a hip replacement

Surely they won’t, OI, because they’d scared of the hoi polloi (🍆✊💦) who aren’t true believers in the Couperian creed.

No complaints. You?